


Dear Sophie, I married him

by ardentaislinn



Category: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Genre: Epistolary, F/M, Gen, Post-Canon, Weddings, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 12:06:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16810264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentaislinn/pseuds/ardentaislinn
Summary: Juliet and Dawsey get married, but Sophie can't make the ceremony.





	Dear Sophie, I married him

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hiddencait](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiddencait/gifts).



_Telegram from Sophie to Juliet_

YOU GOT MARRIED WITHOUT TELLING ME?! I’M NEVER SPEAKING TO YOU OR MY BROTHER AGAIN.

NO LOVE, SOPHIE

_Letter from Juliet to Sophie_

Dearest Sophie,

Don’t hate Sidney for this. I forced him not to tell you under threat of never delivering the book – or any book – to him ever again. You know how persuasive I can be when I put my mind to it. He was very reluctant, and is penning an abject apology to you as I write this.

As for me, you can hate me all you want. But I knew if you were aware of the wedding, you’d want to be there, regardless of any good sense advice to stay at home. And given your delicate condition, I knew you couldn’t travel all the way from Scotland. Sidney told me that you’ve been ordered on bed rest, and I’m well aware that you would ignore that very good advice order to be at my wedding.

You’re a true friend – even if I am not.

At least I told you all about the engagement, even if you didn’t expect the wedding to happen so soon. Your health, and that of your child, is of the utmost importance.

To make it up to you, I intend to describe my wedding to you in such nauseating detail that you’ll be glad you weren’t there.

Well, firstly, I have to tell you that Dawsey and I might have pre-empted our marriage vows more than once since our confessions. What is a week’s difference? We wanted to get started on our marriage right away, and could hardly keep our hands off each other, besides.

I won’t go into details about _that_ , but I will tell you it was all quite wonderful.

I’m sure Amelia must have known, since she took Kit on adventures more than usual, but she never said a word.

However, there was one tradition Amelia decided we couldn’t forgo – the groom was not to see the bride before the wedding. Which meant by the time I walked down the aisle, it had been a whole, awful twelve hours since I’d last seen Dawsey.

Is that normal? To be so desperate to see a person that twelve hours seems like a lifetime? It’s strange. Because before we admitted to ourselves and each other that we loved each other, we were quite able to go days without seeing each other. Though I missed him, it wasn’t a soul-deep ache like it is now. Now, seeing so much of him in the last week, and finding new heights of intimacy, has changed our relationship irrevocably, and it’s both wonderful and frightening.

Well, anyway. I woke up that morning alone – well, not alone. Kit was already awake and terribly excited for the day. Did I tell you how pleased she was when I told her Dawsey and I were to marry? I think I did. And she was thrilled she would be flower girl, and had a new dress to wear. I don’t think I need to tell you that it was somehow covered in mud by the time the day was through, but she had a marvellous time.

Isola came over that morning with Amelia, and the two helped me with my hair and clothes. Isola tried a number of different hairstyles, elaborate creations I’d never seen before, but we eventually settled on something quite simple.

I wore my favourite dress – you know, the blue one – since I didn’t have time to get a proper one made up. Besides, I’m a practical pig farmer’s wife, now – and have never been happier! – so there was no sense in me getting a glamorous white dress I’d only wear once. I didn’t have any clothing coupons left, besides. And now I get to think about my perfect, wonderful, wedding day whenever I wear this dress!

Isola wore her favourite dress as Maid of Honour, with patterns of orange and purple. Between that and the scarves – she wore two – she looked quite fetching, even if it did draw the eye more than my plain blue.

Once we were all ready, Kit included, we walked to the church, picking wildflowers for my bouquet. Isola told me their names, but I’ve already forgotten. So much for nauseating detail.

Sidney met us outside the doors to the church, and stayed with me while everyone found their seat.

The church is old, from the 13th Century, I’m told. It’s very pretty, made of stone and weathered by time. Beside it is a garden full of bright flowers that looked appropriately cheerful. I didn’t look too closely at the gravestones on the other side. Too many were from the war, and I don’t think my makeup would have survived thinking of that.

Sidney looked very dapper, I have to say. Though he still managed not to look out of place on Guernsey, he could have been at any London wedding. I do hope I’ll get regular visits from him. And from you, if you ever forgive me, and once you’ve brought another healthy child into the world. You really must see this place and meet Dawsey and Kit and all my new friends. I think you’d get along famously.

The music started, and I was suddenly overcome with a fluttering stomach.

I hadn’t seen Dawsey yet. I had a strange, irrational fear that he wouldn’t be there. Silly, I know, but Sidney assured me he was inside and waiting anxiously for it all to begin. Eben was his best man, and had apparently had to give Dawsey a reassuring pat on the shoulder more than once. That made me feel better, knowing Dawsey was just as nervous as I!

I didn’t see this next part of the wedding, but everyone told me Kit performed her role of flower girl beautifully, even adding a few twirls and flourishes to her walk down the aisle in her sequined red shoes. When it was my turn, I stepped into the church. All eyes were on me. I could feel them, vaguely, but I could only focus on Dawsey and the huge, wonderful smile on his face. It was a rare kind of smile, and one I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.

I’m sure my smile was equally wide. I probably looked a fool, but if you can’t be foolish on your wedding day, when can you be?

We said our vows. I fear that I talked too much and too long, since I found it so difficult to put everything I felt for Dawsey into just a few words. His vows were, mortifyingly for the writer in me, much better than mine. Short, sweet, and profound. I can admit to you, my dear friend, that I shed more than one tear. Dawsey might not talk much, but when he does he has such lovely things to say.

We ended the wedding with a kiss, as is expected. Everyone cheered, and in that moment I truly felt one of the locals. They’d welcomed me into their hearts and homes, and it seemed they were as happy as I to have me in their family.

After that, the celebrations began. We all ate and drank and danced and laughed on the lawn in front of the Big House. I think everybody had a good time. Dawsey and I certainly did. He put a flower in my hair and held me close as we swayed to the music. Between his slight limp and the fact that he hurt his ankle when we got engaged (don’t ask) we couldn’t move particularly fast, but I didn’t mind at all. Not when I could press so closely against him.

Sidney swung me around the makeshift dance floor a few times while Dawsey danced with Kit. I nearly lost a shoe on one particularly vigorous turn, but thankfully it missed the cake. Eben and John Booker also made sure to save a dance for me, as did almost everyone now that I think of it.

Sidney danced a while with Isola, too. They had a marvellous time, and it’s wonderful to see them becoming such fast friends. I hope she has a chance to visit him in London – I think he’s extended the invitation already. I’m sure he’ll introduce her to many new friends and eligible men. As long as none of them take her away from us permanently.

Dawsey and I snuck away before the end of the evening, letting everyone else enjoy themselves. I don’t think anybody even noticed. Or, if they did, they were kind enough not to comment.

I don’t need to tell you the rest, only to say that I am incandescently happy.

So, that’s the story of my wedding day. I do hope that was enough detail to convince you to forgive me. You know I only had your best interests at heart, because you are my dearest friend. Other than Sidney, of course, who is reading this paragraph over my shoulder, even if he’s pretending he’s not.

I will write again soon until you either forgive me or beg me to stop. Included is a photograph of Me, Dawsey, and Kit from the day.

Much Love,

Juliet

_Telegram from Sophie to Juliet_

YOU’RE NOT FORGIVEN – YET. GLAD YOU WORE THE BLUE DRESS. PHOTOGRAPH WAS ADORABLE, PLEASE SEND MORE.

SOPHIE


End file.
